Sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) is an important and valuable fish stock that is fished both commercially and recreationally in the UK and by other European Member States (e.g. France, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain and Portugal). There is a considerable amount of fishing pressure from both commercial and recreational fishers on the bass stocks spanning the Irish Sea, Celtic Sea, English Channel, and southern North Sea. Between 2010 and 2013, UK fisheries have been responsible for ~20% of sea bass landings from the bass stock in the Irish Sea, Celtic Sea, English Channel, and southern North Sea It is widely acknowledged that the continued overfishing and downward trend in the health of the stock will have implications for the future viability of fishing activities (commercially and recreationally). The new EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) introduces a legal requirement for EU Member States to fish all fish stocks at levels that will achieve Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) by 2015, where possible, and no later than 2020. Management interventions are required at the EU level, nationally and/or locally to reduce the fishing pressure on bass and return the stocks to levels consistent with MSY. The European Commission (EC) have recently proposed management measures for the commercial and recreational sectors. It will be necessary to consider potential economic and social impacts of management decisions on both the commercial and recreational sectors and where there may be the greatest potential for economic benefits where maintaining some continued bass fishing.